Left Behind ««
PG-13, 99m. 2001
Cast & Credits: Kirk Cameron (Buck Williams), Brad Johnson (Rayford Steele), Chelsea Noble (Hattie Durnham), Clarence Gilyard (Pastor Bruce Barnes), Janaya Stevens (Chloe Steele), Gordon Currie (Nicolai Carpathia). Screenplay by Alan B. McElroy, Paul Lalonde and Joe Goodman based on the novel, Left Behind, by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins. Directed by Vic Sarin.
Midway through Left Behind: The Movie, an old woman aboard a 747 asks GNN reporter Buck Williams (Kirk Cameron) to check and see if her husband is in the john.
“You might want to bring him these,” she tells Williams handing him his clothes and belongings.
The woman’s husband is nowhere to be found. Nor are any children or most of the other passengers who’ve also disappeared without a trace.
When Captain Rayford Steele (Brad Johnson) declares an emergency, the tower replies “you are missing passengers too?” Even the president of the United States is missing.
Things on the ground aren’t much better as thousands of car accidents are attributed to moving vehicles with no one sitting in the driver’s seat.
As state governments declare martial law, Nicolei Carpathia (Gordon Currie), a much revered politician with the United Nations, announces to the world the reason for the disappearances has to do with all the nuclear radiation countries have unleashed for decades.
Welcome to the apocalypse or what is the beginning of one as supposedly foretold in the Bible’s Book of Revelation. Unlike most catastrophic disaster movies, though, the world doesn’t end within the film’s running time. Left Behind: The Movie is based on the first book in a successful line of long running Christian novels written by authors Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins. The books have gotten so popular since the 1990s that there is even a separate series for kids.
The sudden disappearances of loved ones are the most intriguing highlight of Left Behind: The Movie before settling down providing visions of prophecies and assassinations. Every character in the film has a one-on-one conversation with God. Given how unbelievable I found the situations to be, however, I wouldn’t have been surprised if the Almighty talked back.
Like The Omega Code (1999), another independently made Christian oriented film about the coming of the AntiChrist, Left Behind: The Movie fails once again to challenge my beliefs on how civilization will end.
I have only skimmed through reading The Bible’s Book of Revelation. Based on what I did read which was back in high school, I came to the conclusion that whoever wrote it might have been on some hallucinogenic drugs at the time, provided there was any available. I suppose somewhere in the world is the AntiChrist waiting to come to power (some thought it was actually Hitler; others thought it was Saddam Hussein when the Gulf War happened).
The notion, however, doesn’t challenge the belief I still hold which is the world will one day end with a nuclear war (of course that won’t be the end of life as we know it since the roaches and rats will still be around). If World War III never happens, than there is still the possibility of the sun dying out and becoming an expanding gas bubble that engulfs our solar system which is not going to happen in our lifetime.
If neither of those events occur then we’re in it for the long haul. No one is going to miraculously disappear into thin air leaving the rest of us nonbelievers behind to face the inevitable nor do I envision a massive war brewing between God and the Devil. I must say, however, the idea of seeing two powerful supernatural forces like “The Almighty” and “The Prince of Darkness” battle one another to the end would be kind of cool.
The best that can be said about Left Behind: The Movie is at least it isn’t weighed down by a lot of silly dialogue that had critics like me laughing when I saw The Omega Code. If this were actually part one of a TV mini-series, I’d venture to say it would be a prelude of possibly better stories to come.
Don’t expect that to happen. WFAA film critic Gary Cogill said in his review of the movie Feb. 1 that LaHaye was reportedly so upset with the way the film was made that he is suing the filmmakers (the author’s names are missing from the list of credits).
The film was actually released on video and digital video disc last October. It was an attempt by its production company, Cloud Ten Pictures, to generate enough good word-of-mouth that people will actually want to pay the $5 and $7 bucks to see it when it debuted in theaters Feb. 2 this year. I can’t see the justification in paying that much to see Left Behind: The Movie at the theater much less the price of a one night’s rental at Blockbuster. I think I would better off watching this on some Christian cable network.
Or better yet, perhaps I should just follow the advice the Johnson’s Rayford Steele tells his daughter midway through the movie who is looking for answers as to why their loved ones have disappeared. He tells her The Bible has all the answers and to start going to church.
I think reading “The Good Book” and attending church on a regular basis is going to be a much more rewarding, if not uplifting experience, than watching a 99-minute movie about the supposed upcoming Apocalypse.
At least I know I won’t be throwing any money away in the process.
©2/21/01
PG-13, 99m. 2001
Cast & Credits: Kirk Cameron (Buck Williams), Brad Johnson (Rayford Steele), Chelsea Noble (Hattie Durnham), Clarence Gilyard (Pastor Bruce Barnes), Janaya Stevens (Chloe Steele), Gordon Currie (Nicolai Carpathia). Screenplay by Alan B. McElroy, Paul Lalonde and Joe Goodman based on the novel, Left Behind, by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins. Directed by Vic Sarin.
“You might want to bring him these,” she tells Williams handing him his clothes and belongings.
The woman’s husband is nowhere to be found. Nor are any children or most of the other passengers who’ve also disappeared without a trace.
When Captain Rayford Steele (Brad Johnson) declares an emergency, the tower replies “you are missing passengers too?” Even the president of the United States is missing.
Things on the ground aren’t much better as thousands of car accidents are attributed to moving vehicles with no one sitting in the driver’s seat.
As state governments declare martial law, Nicolei Carpathia (Gordon Currie), a much revered politician with the United Nations, announces to the world the reason for the disappearances has to do with all the nuclear radiation countries have unleashed for decades.
Welcome to the apocalypse or what is the beginning of one as supposedly foretold in the Bible’s Book of Revelation. Unlike most catastrophic disaster movies, though, the world doesn’t end within the film’s running time. Left Behind: The Movie is based on the first book in a successful line of long running Christian novels written by authors Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins. The books have gotten so popular since the 1990s that there is even a separate series for kids.
The sudden disappearances of loved ones are the most intriguing highlight of Left Behind: The Movie before settling down providing visions of prophecies and assassinations. Every character in the film has a one-on-one conversation with God. Given how unbelievable I found the situations to be, however, I wouldn’t have been surprised if the Almighty talked back.
Like The Omega Code (1999), another independently made Christian oriented film about the coming of the AntiChrist, Left Behind: The Movie fails once again to challenge my beliefs on how civilization will end.
I have only skimmed through reading The Bible’s Book of Revelation. Based on what I did read which was back in high school, I came to the conclusion that whoever wrote it might have been on some hallucinogenic drugs at the time, provided there was any available. I suppose somewhere in the world is the AntiChrist waiting to come to power (some thought it was actually Hitler; others thought it was Saddam Hussein when the Gulf War happened).
The notion, however, doesn’t challenge the belief I still hold which is the world will one day end with a nuclear war (of course that won’t be the end of life as we know it since the roaches and rats will still be around). If World War III never happens, than there is still the possibility of the sun dying out and becoming an expanding gas bubble that engulfs our solar system which is not going to happen in our lifetime.
If neither of those events occur then we’re in it for the long haul. No one is going to miraculously disappear into thin air leaving the rest of us nonbelievers behind to face the inevitable nor do I envision a massive war brewing between God and the Devil. I must say, however, the idea of seeing two powerful supernatural forces like “The Almighty” and “The Prince of Darkness” battle one another to the end would be kind of cool.
The best that can be said about Left Behind: The Movie is at least it isn’t weighed down by a lot of silly dialogue that had critics like me laughing when I saw The Omega Code. If this were actually part one of a TV mini-series, I’d venture to say it would be a prelude of possibly better stories to come.
Don’t expect that to happen. WFAA film critic Gary Cogill said in his review of the movie Feb. 1 that LaHaye was reportedly so upset with the way the film was made that he is suing the filmmakers (the author’s names are missing from the list of credits).
The film was actually released on video and digital video disc last October. It was an attempt by its production company, Cloud Ten Pictures, to generate enough good word-of-mouth that people will actually want to pay the $5 and $7 bucks to see it when it debuted in theaters Feb. 2 this year. I can’t see the justification in paying that much to see Left Behind: The Movie at the theater much less the price of a one night’s rental at Blockbuster. I think I would better off watching this on some Christian cable network.
Or better yet, perhaps I should just follow the advice the Johnson’s Rayford Steele tells his daughter midway through the movie who is looking for answers as to why their loved ones have disappeared. He tells her The Bible has all the answers and to start going to church.
I think reading “The Good Book” and attending church on a regular basis is going to be a much more rewarding, if not uplifting experience, than watching a 99-minute movie about the supposed upcoming Apocalypse.
At least I know I won’t be throwing any money away in the process.
©2/21/01
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